Protection of human rights in the armed forces continues to be a concern although the number of violations of good order and discipline in the armed forces has recently decreased. Representatives of civil society and law enforcement agencies shared their opposing thoughts today at the Media Center initiated panel discussion.

France still has to face a problem of religious extremism despite actions and measures taken following the Charlie Hebdo shooting. H.E. Jean-François Charpentier, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France in Armenia shared his thoughts at the Media Center press conference.

The accident during the car rally organized by 100th Anniversary without this Regime movement in Berdzor was planned in advance by law enforcement agencies of Nagorno Karabakh, rights defender believe.

The war in Ukraine may cease if one of the sides, namely armed groups of “the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR)” fulfill the points set forth in the Minsk Protocol.

Armenia has not fulfilled its international obligations regarding human rights within the UN Universal Periodic Review during last five years, the civil society representatives who do not see any substantial improvements claim.

The decision of the Armenian Central Bank to raise the minimum capital requirement for commercial banks to 30 billion drams instead of the current 5 billion drams from January 1, 2017 will not ease the problems and possible crisis in the financial system.

The escalation in Karabakh conflict zone and along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border dramatically increased within the previous year. The ceasefire violations have geographically expanded, with the tension remaining so heightened that it is measured with the number of casualties.

Though the bill of Domestic Violence Law addresses the proposed requirements fully, the adoption of the law is not actively backed. Today at the Media Center press conference civil society representatives shared thoughts on recent developments regarding Domestic Violence Law in Armenia.

Vardan Petrosyan’s lawyers have applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for “an illegal one-year imprisonment.” The court decision to imprison the actor, his lawyers believe, is illegal since his guilt has not been proven, and Vardan Petrosyan, if released, will not attempt to interfere with the trial.

Those who demanded the 2015 Gyumri murder to be investigated in Armenia were labeled as opposition, with their position being described as anti-Russian whilst the events grew into a hot-button issue. Such opinion was expressed by the speakers today at the Media Center hosted press conference. The speakers included: Hranush Kharatyan, ethnographer; Zaruhi Muradyan, artist; and Karine Danielyan, head of the Association for Human Sustainable Development.

The fact that Valery Permyakov - a conscript soldier from the Russian 102nd Military Base who is accused of a mass murder in Gyumri – is put into the custody under the Russian jurisdiction is a decision made under political pressure.

French investors are willing to continue launching and implementing projects in Armenia, as a result, strengthening the Armenia-France relations.
The French delegates are visiting Armenia as part of a series of study tours initiated by the Armenian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the PMCI Company.

The Group of Observers Conducting Public Monitoring of Penitentiary Institutions and Bodies of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia shared their thoughts on the protection of human rights and detected violation cases in Armenian prisons in 2014.